1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sports balls with improved feel and, more particularly, to positioning an intermediate elastomeric layer in a waffle-like configuration between an exterior surface layer and an interior bladder layer of a ball.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of balls in games and sports is known in the prior art. More specifically balls of various designs and configurations and materials heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of improving a specific aspect of play are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Typical of balls in the prior art to which such indicia may be applied include U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,154 to Engelhardt discloses a low density hollow spherical ball. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,909 to Ventura et al. discloses a game ball. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,639 to Watson et al. discloses a game ball. U.S. Pat. No. 1,803,121 to Meurisse discloses a polo ball. U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,019 to Barton discloses a ball with cushioning means between cover and core. U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,777 to Henderson discloses a game ball.
Despite the large number of prior art patents to sports balls, no prior art disclosure deals with the capability of functioning with the benefit of the present invention to provide improved feel as does the present invention. Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved sports balls with improved feel. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to improving the feel of sports balls.
A further object of the present invention is to tailor the playing characteristics of sports balls for particular applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to utilize an intermediate waffle like layer in sports balls adjacent to an exterior layer.
It is a further object of the present invention to position an intermediate elastomeric layer in a waffle-like configuration between an exterior surface layer and an interior bladder layer of a basketball, football, volleyball, soccer ball or the like to enhance the feel of such ball.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a sports ball with improved feel comprising an interior layer; an intermediate layer having a plurality of spacer panels extending radially outwardly from the interior layer, the panels each having interior edge located adjacent to the interior layer and an exterior edge and lateral side edges therebetween coupled to lateral side edges of adjacent panels in a waffle-like configuration to form a plurality of recesses extending downwardly from the exterior edges to thereby form a grid pattern of recesses with an exterior surface formed from the free exterior edges; and an exterior layer adjacent to the exterior surface of the intermediate layer for entrapping pockets of air within the recesses.
These objects should be construed to merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.